Replicating The Past: ‘Blade Runner: 2049’ May Be Bringing Back Another Original Cast Member

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD! Do not keep reading if you want to go into ‘Blade Runner: 2049’ fresh!

There’s a lot going on with ‘Blade Runner: 2049,’ the marketing campaign alone has revealed a lot of questions and mysteries going into the new movie, and the short films released tying the sequel to the original have helped explain how the world that Ridley Scott created back in the 1980s has changed and helped set the tone of things for Denis Villeneuve’s new film.

However, there are still plenty of questions fans have about the new movie, especially with all the production news still being released, such as a New York Daily News report that Sean Young, who played the prototype replicant Rachel in the original film, has secretly filmed scenes which will be included in ‘Blade Runner: 2049.’ Which of course, raises a whole slew of other questions, because in the world of ‘Blade Runner,’ replicants supposedly can only live for about 4 years, so how can she possibly still be alive? Unless her specific model (she was a prototype after all) was designed to live longer, or if she is not the original Rachel but a new version based on the model we saw in the first film. However, the argument can also be made that Rachel being an “advanced prototype” is something that may not be canon, as it all depends on which cut of ‘Blade Runner’ you’re watching, as not every version focuses on that particular aspect of her.

Either way, if she is indeed being brought back for the sequel, it is a very cool way to pay homage to the original film and bring back another member of the old cast, and could be a great story reason to bring back Deckard, since he was the Blade Runner that dealt with Rachel in the first place.

What are your thoughts on Sean Young making an appearance in ‘Blade Runner: 2049?’ Do you think her role could be more significant than they are letting on? Share your thoughts/ theories in the comments below!

Nicholas Graff

A Southern California native (which seems to be a rarity as everyone seems to migrate here from outside the state, and everyone else born here ends up leaving for less crowded spaces), but for Nick, he loves it here. Nick has been writing since he was a teenager, self-published his first book trilogy, 'The Legacy of the Roras' back in 2011, and in 2014 published the inaugural issue of his first comic book, 'The Shadow of Aquaterra.' While not working on my own projects, he is working as a technical film editor at a major television network in their digital media division and recently began writing news and recap articles for ScienceFiction.com, a position which he has found extremely rewarding.

Obviously, you have not paid attention to the original Blade Runner or not watched it 2 dozen times like I have over the past 30+ years. Terrell, the inventor, owner and CEO of Terrell Corporation, which makes replicants, said she was different. In the end scene in the original voiceover, Decker said she was special – “no expiration date.” I loved Sean Young in that role. I really want to know what happens to Rachel’s character after she and Decker fled the city at the end of the original movie.